Hollandaise Sauce

Ingredients

4 large egg yolks

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon hot sauce

4 teaspoons water

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

Directions

In a stainless steel bowl set over a pot of simmering water (be careful not to let the bottom of the bowl touch the water), whisk the egg yolks with the lemon juice, hot sauce, and water until pale yellow in color. Season with the salt and pepper. Remove the bowl from the pot and, whisking vigorously, add the melted butter 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking until all the butter is incorporated. Keep warm until needed.

Salmonella warning: Let’s talk about egg safety because I don’t want any of you out there to get sick. I personally love homemade fresh mayonnaise and I make it with fresh—and I mean FRESH—raw eggs. I’ve never had any trouble, but I want you to take some precautions. Always purchase your eggs from a reputable source, a place you can trust with your life. Don’t use eggs after the expiration date on the carton. Don’t go leaving your eggs in the backseat of your car while you’re out and about, and once you get home, keep the eggs in the refrigerator. I use eggs pretty quickly, so I don’t have to worry about keeping them too long at home. But I suppose there’s a tiny risk some nasty old salmonella could sneak into some eggs, so just be cautious about serving young kids or the elderly or to people who have health problems. Okay?